India won't export democracy to Myanmar

Singapore: India, hailed as the world's biggest democracy, will not export its free society ideology to neighbouring military-ruled Myanmar, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Saturday.

Mukherjee, addressing a two-day security conference, also said it will keep its hands off the peace process in Sri Lanka.

"It is not only a question of Myanmar, but in many other countries, there are different types of governments. Our basic principle is to live in peaceful coexistence and we do not believe in exporting ideologies," Mukherjee said.

"It is for the people of the countries to decide what type of government they would like," he said, in response to a question if India can help promote democracy in Myanmar where the military has been in power since 1962.

The current Junta came to power in Myanmar in 1988.

It held elections in 1990 but refused to hand over power when pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party won handsomely.

Suu Kyi is currently under house arrest and has spent about 10 of the last 17 years in detention.

India and China, as Myanmar's two giant neighbours, have often been urged to play a bigger role in bringing about change in the impoverished country.

Mukherjee also said that India supports the peace process between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels, but cannot play a role in it for "obvious reasons," referring to India's large Tamil population.

"Sharing the same ethnic group of Tamils, we believe our active participation in the peace process would

complicate the issues instead of resolving them. But we stand fully behind the peace process," he said.

Mukherjee also defended India's recent nuclear cooperation deal with the United States, which is awaiting the US Congress approval.

He pointed out that even though India is not a signatory to the NPT, it has an impeccable record of ensuring that it does not export nuclear materials and technology.

"Therefore, I do feel that we should receive the support of the international community," he said.

"We require energy to foster growth and nuclear energy is essential to ensure our growth on a long term and sustainable basis."